Summer Sanity Savers

The following items are my friends. They are all inanimate, which gives you a good idea of my relational abilities/time/priorities this summer. Without them, I would have been bickered to death by my 2 youngest children, deaf or more sore and tired than I already am. Art supplies are de rigeur 'round here. Narnia, too. This is the complete set under one cover and Cub has been reading ahead while Big Bro and Dad read them in order out-loud. This is his go-everywhere pile.

Found a bucket o'gum on clearance. For less than a penny a pop this has gained us a lot of mileage in attitude from Cub and Flower.

The smallest pool with a filter available at Stuff Mart. Worth every.single. penny. We have put in long, hot, hard days at the property, basically ignoring Cub and Flower. They have been bored, lonely, agitated and irritated. This little pool has saved the day (and maybe the summer).

Ear plugs to protect our precious hearing against the shrill and annoying shop vac which we use daily, the drill, the sander, the tile cutter, the mower the saw, etc.etc.

The outside hoses. Thank the Lord we have some running water! 2 spigots. Good for washing hands, tools and creating mud works (the above is a multi-tiered, multi-draining creation, providing hours of play for certain children.

Kittens, Kids and Fans. The first 2 good for smiles and hugs. The last good for drying floors and drywall and paint and cooling off attics and basements and people.

Our new A.C. Ta-dah!! For days when we're not drywall cutting or sanding. I am really, really happy this is now a permanent part of my life. Seriously.

Turtles. Aren't they cute?

Also known as tile space-ers. Very cool.

T0ols. Ours, theirs and leased. (Hubby digs the tile cutter). High Tech....

and kid-powered.

(And I forgot a picture of the portable DVD player. It's packed up daily.)

What have been your must-haves for summer?